


it was playing in our heads all along

by thrillingsentience



Series: Music is only the gateway [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Music, more of the Link Is a Busker AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21777715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thrillingsentience/pseuds/thrillingsentience
Summary: “I hope you don’t mind I got you a coffee.”A paper cup was held out in front of Link’s face, and when he looked up to see who held it, even though he already knew who it was, he was greeted with a familiar, friendly smile that beamed at him. It had been several weeks since he had met that mystery girl - and he had finally learned her name:Zelda.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Series: Music is only the gateway [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1569460
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	it was playing in our heads all along

**Author's Note:**

> Another installment of this AU! This was too much fun to write lol
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy! Feedback is really appreciated!
> 
> (also pardon any errors, I don't have a beta reader...)

“I hope you don’t mind I got you a coffee.”

A paper cup was held out in front of Link’s face, and when he looked up to see who held it, even though he already knew who it was, he was greeted with a familiar, friendly smile that beamed at him. It had been several weeks since he had met that mystery girl - and he had finally learned her name:

Zelda.

It was a pretty and unique name. One that complimented her well - it wasn’t a typical name one would hear day-to-day, but Link didn’t really have room to talk, since his name wasn’t a commonly used name, as well. One might argue if it even  _ was _ a name to begin with.

“No, not at all,” Link said as he grabbed the cup, and he could smell the scent of strong coffee that was wafting from it in waves. The paper cup was hot in his hands, even through the thick holder-sleeve that was slipped around it. The coffee smelled like nutmeg and cinnamon - like the reminiscence of every holiday combined. It reminded him of pumpkin pies and waking up early - of a time before he had fallen flat on his ass.

“So,” Zelda said, she was now standing off to the side of the sidewalk so she wouldn’t clog traffic, and Link looked up at her from his seat on the concrete floor. “I was wondering if you’d like to play at a lounge? It’s called  _ The Plaza _ \- me and a few friends go there sometimes after class. They do open mic night on weekends…”

“That pompous place down on main street?” Link said with a short laugh, but then cleared his throat and glanced over at Zelda - her face read nothing but seriousness. “I dunno--”

“I’d love for you to play there sometime!” She leaned closer, her hands now picked at the lapels of the jean jacket she was wearing and her eyes didn’t once meet Link’s. “Saturday night. Just think about it, yeah?”

Link studied Zelda’s face and she seemed a little… nervous? Was it because she was afraid of him turning down her request, or was there a more deep seeded reason as to why she sudden got an air of nervousness around her? Her eyes glanced down at him once more, and then she began to walk away, headed back towards the same route she took everyday.

But she got stopped in her tracks when Link called out to her.

“Saturday night you said, right? I’ll be there!”

Her smile looked brighter than the sun.

\--

Link hoped he was at the  _ wrong _ place, for he felt like he stood out like a sore thumb in the sea of people who  _ dressed better than he did _ . His best outfit, just a dark green sweater and even darker jeans, was probably considered the worst for the people around him. Designer clothes and fashion trends Link couldn’t even wrap his head around surrounded him like a suffocating shroud.

This was why he usually avoided main street like the plague - it was always full of judgemental eyes and criticising remarks underneath one’s breath. Link didn’t know why Zelda chose this place out of everywhere else to hang out with her friends - and this place to invite  _ him _ to play at, out of  _ every other place imaginable _ .

He would feel less nervous playing in front of a firing squad.

He hadn’t caught sight of Zelda once since he had arrived at  _ The Plaza _ . He had waited for her outside, guitar case in hand and a bundle of nerves on his shoulders - and when she hadn’t shown up after five minutes of waiting, Link opted to check inside for her.

Maybe he should have done this first? But the optimistic outlook got ripped out from underneath its feet when he didn’t see her through the mellow sea of people within the lounge. The lights were dimmed, creating a moody atmosphere to the entire bar, but the subpar lighting really did nothing to help with Link’s search for Zelda.

It honestly hindered it. See, this is why he didn’t like overly snotty places - he’d expect them to be able to afford keeping the lights on all the time.

His small, basically worthless internal rant was cut off quickly when he saw a familiar head of golden hair reflecting the fairy lights strung up on the ceiling of the lounge. He soon made his way over to her table, being careful not to bump his guitar case into any unsuspecting guests or servers that occupied the area.

“Zelda!” He called out to her to gain her attention when he noticed she was in the middle of conversation with another girl that sat at her table.

The chattering faded when Link had broken Zelda and her friend’s attention away from their conversation - Zelda was now turned in her chair and facing Link, and her friend just watched with a quizzical look on her face from across the table.

“Oh! Link, you made it! I was afraid you got lost or wouldn’t show…”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” he gave her a reassuring smile, but he knew his phrase was a flat out lie. The only reason he was here was because of  _ Zelda _ . He wanted to make her happy, and he liked the way his music seemed to lift up her spirits.

And if she invited him to a space where she felt comfortable, who was he to deny her happiness because of  _ his _ own uncomfortableness?

“I can lead you to the stage if you want?” Zelda looked up at Link expectantly. She had a small smile on her lips as she stared at him, and Link could only nod for the words in the back of his throat felt thick and rough, and it clung to his tongue like chalk. 

Zelda got up from her chair, and after telling her friend she’d be right back - to which her friend rolled her eyes at her with a smile - Zelda began to lead Link over to the back of the lounge, where a small stage and mic stand was. 

“I hope you don’t mind, but I persuaded the owners to let you go on first,” Zelda said once they got to the foot of the stage.

Link’s stomach dropped, but he just nodded. “It’s no problem.”

There was a pause - it was awkward but comfortable at the same time, both of them just listening to the idle chatter of the seated guests - and then Zelda leaned a bit closer to Link.

And she slipped his hand into his and gave it a short, delicate squeeze. “Thank you,” she said, and she was staring into Link’s eyes - and he had nowhere else to look but into her’s. “For being here - agreeing to do this…” she slowly let go of his hand and turned away. 

Link’s reaction, his words,  _ anything _ he could try and muster up a response to that, was cut off when the shrill noise of feedback from a microphone being turned on cut through the cadence of the lounge. The announcer had called Link up onto stage, and it felt like the world was moving at bullet-time as he took the announcer’s place in front of the mic stand. 

His eyes followed Zelda as she walked her way back towards her table, and once she sat down did he start to play a song.

It was the same song he played to Zelda everyday she walked down the street to see him and to hear his music - it was the song that bonded the two of them, the one that always made Zelda smile. And it did again, she beamed at him from her spot in the crowd. 

At that moment, the rest of the crowd’s reactions didn’t matter to Link. As long as Zelda liked his music, as long as  _ she _ enjoyed his company, nothing could beat him down. The almost chilling and petrifying nerves had calmed down to an ignorable stomach ache.

But it didn’t last forever, unfortunately. 

When Link changed songs, he noticed another person taking a seat at Zelda’s table. He was broad-shouldered and confident looking, and when he leaned down for a kiss and Zelda  _ returned it _ \- Link wouldn’t say he felt jealous, but more  _ confused _ . 

Maybe he was reading the signs wrong that Zelda kept giving out - maybe her warm smiles and hand-holding was just a way she acted around friends. Maybe in her eyes, there was nothing more between them than that - being friends.

Link’s playing slowed down a bit as his mind drifted, but he caught himself and began to pick up his pace again and bring the life back into the song. He shook those intrusive, awful thoughts from his mind as he focused more on the guitar.

Who cares if she didn’t think of him that way? And who was he to get upset at  _ her _ for something  _ he _ assumed about her. He was felt lucky that Zelda was in his life now - and whether it was romantic or friendship - he was  _ glad _ he got to meet her, and he wouldn’t want to jeopardize anything between them because of his unruly, dumb feelings towards her - especially since he knows she’s  _ taken _ . 

It still stung, he’ll admit, but he wouldn’t let it rule him.

But she was laughing with the guy, caught in a conversation where his music had just turned into ambience,  _ background music _ . And that stung again, seeing her not even acknowledge him as he played, especially since she was so enraptured by his performance not too long ago. 

The song was almost over anyway, and then he’d go over to Zelda’s table and introduce himself to her friends and hangout for a bit. Or he could just slip out of the back of the lounge and forget tonight ever happened.

No, that was a dumb plan. He needed to take a leap of faith,

So as the song came to an end and the last, drawn-out note died, Link muttered a polite ‘thank you’ into the mic, and the crowd clapped as he walked off stage. He weaved through the traffic to get to Zelda’s table. He had a lot on his mind right now, and his brain felt like a jumble of conflicting emotions and thoughts. He felt  _ selfish _ in a way, thinking he had something special with Zelda - thinking there was something  _ more _ .

They practically barely knew each other outside of the basics - like their names, occupations, what they do or don’t like to do - entry level friendship stuff. Hell, he didn’t even have her phone number yet.

When he got to the table, Link was confused when he saw it empty save for Zelda’s friend who was aggressively tapping away at her cellphone.

“Uh… hi,” Link said to her to try and grab her attention, and when she glanced up at him, he continued. “Do you know where Zelda went?”

She looked him up and down, and then went back to tapping away on her phone, “She got into a fight with her boyfriend and stormed off,” she stated this so casually, as if it were a phenomenon that happened all too frequently.

That made Link feel a bit uneasy. She and that guy looked happy not too long ago - he wondered what happened, but then also figured it was most definitely none of his business. Couples fight sometimes - and he isn’t a relationship counselor.

But he’d still like to know if Zelda was doing alright.

The night air was a little chilly as he stepped out onto the sidewalk. There were a few minglers outside the entrance to the lounge, but none of them were Zelda - Link couldn’t even catch sight of her in the dying sidewalk traffic. He kept walking down the street, hoping that maybe he’d bump into her by some crazy chance, but passing stranger after stranger put a dent into his optimism.

And when his hope finally ran dry, Link turned his heel and began to make the long walk back home.

\--

He was back at the street corner the next day. 

There were bags under his eyes from a lack of sleeping that night, for he was too worried about Zelda to stay asleep. He knows he shouldn’t be worrying about her this much, she was more than likely fine - probably walked out for a bit to clear her head, or went back home to calm down.

He would see her today, when she turned the corner she always turned down, and she’d greet him with a smile and he’d accompany her with a sugary tune.

That didn’t happen. Link played song after song all day, and he probably overstayed his welcome on the sidewalk as he spent the entire afternoon and almost the entire  _ evening _ waiting and playing songs until he would catch sight of Zelda.

But she never arrived, and as the sun set in the spot where she would normally always walk out from, the worry in Link’s gut skyrocketed.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm definitely gonna be making this into a series of correlating one-shots. I have a lot of ideas and material for this AU that we're barely skimming the surface with these two stories lmao


End file.
